clutch job w/o removing y-pipe

[Rust]

In doing clutch replacement wether removing the engine, or tranny the y-pipe has to be removed. In most cases the bolts connecting the y-pipe to the engine break off, or the theads in the head get stripped. Getting the exaust back on is a headache of drilling, re-tapping, heli-coil, ect...its a hassle.....Until Now! You can do a clutch job w/o removing the exaust.

 

This proceedure was done on a 1993 loyale pushbutton 4wd.

 

Step 1 Disconnect battery.

2. Disconnect clutch cables, and speedo cable, trans grounding wire

3. Unbolt vacuum actuator for 4wd, and push back

(you don't need to disconnect vacuum lines or cable)

4. Remove starter(push the actuator to the side and slip down

through the bottom of car)

5. remove CV axles from tranny stubs.

6. remove front half of rear wheel drive shaft.

7. remove shifter linkages, and exaust hanger mount.

8. remove tranny mount bar, and rear crossmeber

 

Now for the trick

 

9. remove the small skid plate under the engine.

10. Fab up an old steet sign, or any thin strong steel. Cut it to the width of the rear mouting holes of the skid plate. Cut it to 3/4 the length of the transmission. Use the skid plate as a template and drill out the 2 mounting holes on one end of your piece of steel.

11. grind off the small lip next to the tranny drain plug.

12. remove drain plug, drain the tranny, stuff a small rag in the hole.

13. Slide your piece of steel over the exaust pipe, under the tranny and bolt it into the rear mounting holes where the skid plate was.

14. A motorcycle jack works best, but a tranny jack could also work. Now you want to support the steel plate, jacking it up so the weight of the tranny is on your steel shelf you just installed. I used a piece of 6x6 landscaping wood and a motorcycle jack. The trick is to jack it up so the plate is resting on the jack, not the exaust pipe. the plate should be just slightly higher than the exaust pipe(a hair higher) You now have a sturdy shelf to slide your tranny onto. (Remember to only have it 3/4 the length of your tranny)

15. Unbolt your 4 tranny bolts from the engine.

16. Wiggle the tranny off the engine. This is why you only make your shelf 3/4 the lenght of the tranny, now you can get a floor jack in under the rear 1/4 of your tranny to help in the wiggle process. Remember not to move your shelf, it should remain stationary.

17. Once you pull it back off the engine, slide the bell housing towards the passenger side, and do your clutch job.

16. Slide the tranny back on the engine, bolt up the 4 bolts, and do steps 1-8 in reverse, Don't forget to top off the tranny w/ new fluid.

 

This worked for me, and no y-pipe re-installation hassles.

[mountain brat]

never really had a problem with exhaust, but good job figuring another way

[Qman]

In doing clutch replacement wether removing the engine, or tranny the y-pipe has to be removed. In most cases the bolts connecting the y-pipe to the engine break off, or the theads in the head get stripped. Getting the exaust back on is a headache of drilling, re-tapping, heli-coil, ect...its a hassle.....Until Now! You can do a clutch job w/o removing the exaust.

 

This proceedure was done on a 1993 loyale pushbutton 4wd.

 

Step 1 Disconnect battery.

2. Disconnect clutch cables, and speedo cable, trans grounding wire

3. Unbolt vacuum actuator for 4wd, and push back

(you don't need to disconnect vacuum lines or cable)

4. Remove starter(push the actuator to the side and slip down

through the bottom of car)

5. remove CV axles from tranny stubs.

6. remove front half of rear wheel drive shaft.

7. remove shifter linkages, and exaust hanger mount.

8. remove tranny mount bar, and rear crossmeber

 

Now for the trick

 

9. remove the small skid plate under the engine.

10. Fab up an old steet sign, or any thin strong steel. Cut it to the width of the rear mouting holes of the skid plate. Cut it to 3/4 the length of the transmission. Use the skid plate as a template and drill out the 2 mounting holes on one end of your piece of steel.

11. grind off the small lip next to the tranny drain plug.

12. remove drain plug, drain the tranny, stuff a small rag in the hole.

13. Slide your piece of steel over the exaust pipe, under the tranny and bolt it into the rear mounting holes where the skid plate was.

14. A motorcycle jack works best, but a tranny jack could also work. Now you want to support the steel plate, jacking it up so the weight of the tranny is on your steel shelf you just installed. I used a piece of 6x6 landscaping wood and a motorcycle jack. The trick is to jack it up so the plate is resting on the jack, not the exaust pipe. the plate should be just slightly higher than the exaust pipe(a hair higher) You now have a sturdy shelf to slide your tranny onto. (Remember to only have it 3/4 the length of your tranny)

15. Unbolt your 4 tranny bolts from the engine.

16. Wiggle the tranny off the engine. This is why you only make your shelf 3/4 the lenght of the tranny, now you can get a floor jack in under the rear 1/4 of your tranny to help in the wiggle process. Remember not to move your shelf, it should remain stationary.

17. Once you pull it back off the engine, slide the bell housing towards the passenger side, and do your clutch job.

16. Slide the tranny back on the engine, bolt up the 4 bolts, and do steps 1-8 in reverse, Don't forget to top off the tranny w/ new fluid.

 

This worked for me, and no y-pipe re-installation hassles.

 

Seriously? You just took a 2 hr job and made it at least a four hour ordeal.

[Dantes Inferno]

Id just pull the motor.

[MilesFox]

i'd break out the helicoils.

 

but hey, i give credit to ingenuity. i guess its worth the extra labor to not ruin the exhaust studs.

 

i once swapped heads because the stud threads were all stripped out

[GeneralDisorder]

Heli-coil's aren't that big of a deal. And even easier - just oversize the threads in the heads to 7/16"

 

I would rather do it right and have any potential thread problems fixed in case of future need to dissasemble.

 

Besides - pulling the engine is much easier for a clutch job.

 

GD